


I Can't Help But Love You

by CaptainParisStarr



Category: Persona 5
Genre: But then again neither does Ryuji, Dating, First Time, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Underwear Kink, Yusuke has no clue what he's doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-20
Updated: 2020-02-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:33:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22820287
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainParisStarr/pseuds/CaptainParisStarr
Summary: After Ryuji is beaten up by the girls for making them think he died, Yusuke drops by Ryuji's apartment.
Relationships: Kitagawa Yusuke/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 1
Kudos: 55





	I Can't Help But Love You

Ryuji sighed as he adjusted the ice pack against his left eye. It just wasn't fair, the blast that had thrown him clear from Shido's Palace could have killed him! Why had the girls beaten on him when he had almost died saving them?

His swirling thoughts were interrupted by an insistent knocking at the front door.

"I'm coming!" Was it one of the girls come to apologize? His mom had just about had a heart attack when he got home all bruised up.

"Ryuji, may I come inside?"

"Yusuke? What are you doing here?" He stepped back to let the artist in.

"When I saw that explosion rip you away, and I thought you were dead, I came to realize something." Yusuke toed his shoes off, not looking at Ryuji as he spoke.

"What did you realize?" Ryuji made as though to turn away; he should put on the kettle and offer Yusuke a cup of something though he couldn't recall what they had in the cupboard.

Yusuke stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "That I'm in love with you." Ryuji had no time to react before a hot pair of lips claimed his own.

He froze, uncertain of what he should do. Yusuke loved him? Not Ann or Futaba, but him?

A tongue entered his mouth as he unconsciously parted his lips. Lips that suddenly felt burning hot. “Y-Yusuke? What are you doing?” His lips felt numb as he tried to speak.

“I am attempting to show you how I feel.” Those velvety soft lips moved away from his own to kiss a trail of heat down his neck. “Which room is yours?”

“We can't! My Mom is home! She's in her bedroom!” Ryuji's cheeks flamed hotly.

“I do not... I only wish to talk...” Yusuke looked away, suddenly shy and Ryuji felt like a jerk.

“Yusuke you, um... you do desire sex, yeah?” Ryuji forced himself to look at Yusuke as he asked the question.

“Of course I desire sex; with a committed partner. I have no desire for casual sex.” Yusuke waved the question aside, as though sex was of no concern to him.

Uncertain what to say, Ryuji turned back to the cupboard, opened it and pulled down a box of fancy flavored instant coffee that he had bought to try and get used to drinking the stuff. "Want some coffee?" He added a few seconds later.

"Yes." Yusuke watched as Ryuji grabbed mugs, and used the kettle to make them both coffee from the packets in the box. The aroma was as different from that clinging to Akira after a day of helping Sojiro in the cafe as day is from night, but it was not a bad aroma.

As he watched, he felt restless, unable to focus his mind. It wasn't that he longed to paint; quite the opposite, for once painting was the last thing he wanted to do.

What he wanted was to capture this moment in his memory; a painting would never do Ryuji justice, nor could such a limited medium ever hope to portray the depth of the emotion he felt.

He also felt a strong desire to simply be by Ryuji's side and learn more about the blond. While he knew what was truly important already; Ryuji's passions and hatreds, what he likes in a woman, and what friendship means to him; he knew very little about the small details of Ryuji's life.

He knew that Ryuji read manga, but Yusuke did not know his favorite series, character, or author. He likewise could not say what Ryuji's favorite television program was, nor his favorite movie, song, singer, or band. Though he felt as though he had heard Ryuji praising Risette, but could not recall the idol ever coming up in any conversation he had held with the blond, or group discussion he had listened to.

He was also elated by the fact that while Ryuji had a clear preference for women, he had neither turned Yusuke down nor shoved him away while they had kissed. In comparison, the fact that Ryuji had not confessed to feeling the same way felt trivial.

"Here." Ryuji turned to face the artist once more, and his eyes were drawn down to the offered mug.

"Thank you, Ryuji."

"My room is this way." Ryuji led him deeper into the apartment, sliding a door open at the far end of the living room from the kitchen.

"This is cleaner than I expected." Truthfully, only the table was cluttered, most of the floor was clear of any debris.

"I work out here, so I need to keep the floor clear." Ryuji shrugged, settling himself down on his bed.

"May I sit next to you?" After the fuss Ryuji had made about sex, Yusuke wasn't going to to take any chances with the blond.

"Yeah." Ryuji's cheeks pinked slightly as he nodded yes.

As Yusuke sat down, he cast his mind out for a topic of conversation. "Do you like Rise Kujikawa?"

"Who…? Wait, do you mean Risette? Are you jealous of an idol?" Ryuji was beyond confused by the unexpected question.

"Yes, the idol Risette. I was referring to her music; do you enjoy listening to her songs?" Yusuke clarified in mild amusement.

"Oh! Oh yeah, her voice is amazing. But how did you know I listen to her? I've never brought it up with the group. Oh wait, Ann knows! Did she tell you?"

"Ann? No, I vaguely recollect you telling me, however I cannot recall when."

"Huh, that's weird but… no we couldn't have met her. There's no way…" Ryuji shook his head as he trailed off. "I must be remembering a dream. Anyway, maybe I did mention it in passing and I just don't remember. Do you listen to her?"

"Her voice is powerful, as you have said, however I am not one for pop idols. I listen mostly to melodic metal bands."

That gave Ryuji a start. "Metal?! You?"

"Is that surprising?" Yusuke looked at Ryuji over the rim of his sweet drink that, no matter what Ryuji called it, was not coffee.

"You pursue beauty and well, screaming doesn't fit that image." Ryuji laughed softly in mild embarrassment.

"Oh I see. I do not listen to screaming metal; quite the contrary. Most of the bands I enjoy utilize opera vocals."

"Opera metal? Huh, okay that fits you." Ryuji set his mug aside. "Didn't know there was opera metal."

"There are several questions I desire to ask you." Yusuke toyed with his own mug.

"Like what?"

"What is your favorite song? As I watched you heat the water for our drinks it occurred to me that I do not know. Nor do I know your favorite manga series or anime." Yusuke took another sip, for he was enjoying the flavor.

Ryuji's voice was warm as he answered, broadening Yusuke's world with songs and series he had never known existed.

"So,Yusk." Ryuji yawned but he was having too much fun; he didn't want to go to sleep just yet, though they had been talking for hours, and the last train had left already. "I have recently been getting into… well… Can I ask what you think of Yaoi?"

"Are you a fan?" It was Yusuke's turn to be surprised.

"I watched a series by mistake, not knowing that it was going to be boy on boy and while I didn't find it hot… I found that I didn't mind watching yaoi." Ryuji's cheeks grew hot.

"I see. There is beauty in all forms of love; that includes between two men. I have read several yaoi manga volumes to appreciate such beauty."

"Oh." Ryuji grinned sheepishly. "I just got a new one… wanna watch it together?"

"Of course. In the morning." Yusuke lay down and Ryuji was too sleepy to either ask Yusuke to move to the spare futon, or to dig it out of his closet in the first place.

  
  


* * *

Ryuji woke slowly, feeling very warm.

"Good morning." He lifted his head and found himself looking into Yusuke's eyes.

"Morning." Ryuji surged upwards and kissed Yusuke just as his bedroom door opened.

"Break… who is your friend?" Mrs. Sakamoto asked with surprise. "I knew you had a friend over but I didn't know you kiss your male friends?"

"Mom I don't!" The whine in Ryuji's voice masked the affronted sound Yusuke made. "This is Yusuke Kitagawa. My boyfriend."

The silence that fell was deafening for the few seconds it took Mrs. Sakamoto to find her voice. "Boyfriend?"

"Ryuji? I do not recall you accepting my confession last night." Yusuke added.

"Oh… oh shit!" Ryuji realized Yusuke was right. "Well… I'm accepting it now. Yusuke, I love you too." His cheeks pinked as he knew his mom was watching them.

"We can talk about this over breakfast." She walked away, leaving the door open.

They had no choice but to follow. "Mom we didn't! We just talked. Okay we shared my bed and kissed a bit but that's all!" 

"How long have you known Yusuke?"

Ryuji shrugged. "Few months. Dunno exactly how long though."

"Does he have anything to do with you coming home all beaten up?" She crossed her arms.

"No mom! Of course not!" And he repeated his story about being mugged, which seeing as Ann had taken his money to buy the food they had enjoyed afterwards, wasn't exactly a lie.

"Yusuke Kitagawa… I know that name from somewhere…" She frowned as she tried to remember.

"I was the final pupil of the Master artist Ichiryusai Madarame." Yusuke's voice was soft. "When he was arrested, I sought to separate my name from his however, his name will forever be linked with mine."

"Oh!" She felt sudden guilt for doubting this beautiful boy. "You're an artist?"

"I am." Yusuke went to the bag that Ryuji had not noticed him leave with his shoes the night before. He knelt down, retrieved a large sketchpad, and flipped through it until he nodded and stood.

He offered the pad to Ryuji's mother, and after a long moment, she accepted, then she gasped. "You drew this?!"

"I did." Yusuke acknowledged with a nod.

"What is it?" Ryuji frowned as he moved so that he too could see the drawing.

It was him, leaning against a subway wall, hot and sweaty, one hand pulling at the collar of his shirt, the other holding the bottle he was drinking from. "Yusuke! This is incredible!"

"Thank you." Yusuke smiled softly at the praise.

The pad was handed back and returned to the bag, and they sat down to eat.

Ryuji listened to his mom talk with Yusuke, glad that she was no longer hostile towards him, though his mind was on the sketch.

Though the drawing could have been of him returning home from working out, in his heart Ryuji knew that it was after leaving the Metaverse. Ryuji had no memory of posing for even a photograph, and knew that Yusuke must have drawn from memory, which impressed Ryuji even more.

"Do you mind if I use your shower?" Yusuke asked Ryuji after his mom had left for work.

"Oh no go ahead. I'm starting to smell a bit myself." He wondered if they should bathe together.

His mind drifted back to the bathhouse in Yongen; the first time he had found himself looking at a boy's body with longing. At Yusuke's body.

"Do you wish to join me?" Yusuke voiced aloud what Ryuji could not.

"Can I?" When Yusuke nodded, Ryuji allowed himself to be led into the bathroom.

  
  


* * *

Ryuji groaned as he checked his phone yet again; a full week had passed since his shower with Yusuke; a shower where nothing had happened at all.

Should he text first? Ryuji swallowed hard; he knew that with a girl he would be expected to text first, but Yusuke wasn't a girl.

He had never expected to end up with a boyfriend, and therefore had no idea what was expected of him.

Sighing, he opened his messages and clicked Yusuke's name, shrugged, and tapped out a brief message.

_ "Hey, what's up?" _

When his phone buzzed only a few seconds later, his heart started to pound.

_ "Ryuji, my apologies for ignoring you. I was hit with the urge to paint the sketch I showed your mother and only just finished. Can I meet you in Shibuya in an hour?" _

_ "Yes! I'll be there!" _

Ryuji jumped up off of his bed, dressing in his nicest clothes subconsciously. 

His phone buzzed again just as he was grabbing his shoes.  _ "Bring your workout bag." _

_ "You wanna exercise?"  _ Ryuji wasn't against the idea, though he did find it surprising coming from Yusuke.

No reply, and Ryuji correctly assumed that Yusuke was embarrassed.

Suppressing a fond grin, he packed his workout bag and left in eager expectation.

Yusuke was already at his usual spot for people watching when Ryuji got to Shibuya station. "Hey, have you been waiting long?"

"No." He returned Ryuji's soft smile as he lifted his own bag.

They walked in silence towards the gym. "So uh… this is a date, yeah?"

"Yes, Ryuji. That is my intent when I asked you to meet me."

"Good, I ain't crazy." Ryuji longed to hold Yusuke's hand but didn't want to out himself so early in their relationship.

All too soon they were changing into workout clothes, stealing glances at each other as they stowed their belongings in side by side lockers.

"So are you looking to build up your strength?" Ryuji glanced around, making note of which machines were best for beginners like Yusuke.

"Yes." His voice was like velvet as he strode away from Ryuji.

For the next thirty odd minutes, they worked out side by side, keeping things gentle, and working up a good sweat; then Ryuji made a crucial mistake: he took his eyes off of Yusuke while taking a drink of water.

"Want some, Yusk? Yusk?" He looked around, and had to stifle a scream as he finally saw his lover.

Hurrying over he watched as Yusuke attempted a bench press without a spotter.

"What are you doing?" His heart nearly stopped as he saw the weights; it was almost double what he could lift!

"Ryuji?"

He slammed his hand down on the bar, preventing Yusuke from lifting it up.

"This is way too heavy! You could kill yourself!" Ryuji hissed frantically.

Yusuke did not meet Ryuji's eyes as he stood up. A young employee hurried over, but Ryuji waved her off. "We're leaving, we don't want any trouble." She nodded in relief.

Dragging Yusuke along behind him, he retreated back to the locker room. "Ryuji?"

"What was that?"

"I believed that I could impress you by…" He broke off.

"Impress me?! Ain't nothing impressive about hurting yourself because you don't know what you're doing! That was twice what I can press!"

"What?" Yusuke was shocked.

"Bench pressing is dangerous! It's not something to be taken lightly or attempted alone!" He explained the importance of a spotter, and how it had taken a year to work himself up to being able to lift two hundred pounds.

"It was hard, since I started while my leg was still healing, but it got me to stop wishing I could run." He toweled his hair dry and pulled on his clean underwear.

"I understand." Yusuke was shaken; he truly had not understood the dangers.

"Yusuke?" Ryuji glanced over a minute later as the artist stayed quiet.

"I forgot to bring a change of underwear."

Ryuji's cheeks went hot as he pictured Yusuke going outside commando.

"Here." He tossed over his backup pair without thought; only realizing what he had done as Yusuke pulled on the boxers with a grateful smile.

Yusuke was wearing his boxers; they hung loose on Yusuke's slim hips but fit well enough.

"I gotta get home!" Ryuji gasped out, as arousal he had never known coursed through his veins.

"Can I see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, okay." Ryuji agreed as he stepped onto the train, his pants wet, and his mind empty of the trip to the station.

* * *

_ "Can we meet in Ueno instead?"  _ Ryuji typed out his reply, after having read Yusuke's explanation that he had never been on a date before and had simply suggested something he knew Ryuji would enjoy, and Ryuji explanation of why going to the gym two days in a row was a bad idea.

_ "Ueno?" _

_ "That's where that art museum is, yeah?" _

_ "You have no interest in art." _

_ "That's not true. I just don't understand art. But I love looking at what you make. Teach me?" _

_ "I would love to." _

Ryuji sighed as he put his phone in his pocket and hurried out the door.

  
  
  


* * *

"Ryuji, are you listening?" Yusuke blinked at his lover, surprised that after a full hour, the athlete was not yet bored.

"Yes, of course I'm listening. I don't really get what you're saying, but I love hearing your voice."

Somehow, that simple statement made Yusuke happier than he had ever felt before.

  
  


* * *

"Do you know what today is?" Yusuke looked at Ryuji over his beef bowl.

"Our one month anniversary?" Ryuji asked, feigning innocence.

"Indeed." Yusuke's hand briefly caressed Ryuji's then retreated again.

They had settled into an easy pattern of work outs, trips to the museum and planetarium, and lazy evenings making out and watching anime in Ryuji's bedroom.

"My mom has to work nights this month… wanna come over?"

Yusuke nodded as Ryuji returned the bowls, and they left.

Ryuji had gotten a fresh bottle of lube, and a box of condoms the day before. He had also researched anal sex, and had been playing with his ass nightly for the past three weeks.

"So uh…" Ryuji giggled as his bedroom door closed behind him.

"Ryuji?" Yusuke pinned him to the door.

"I was hoping we could take the next step tonight. I have condoms." Ryuji giggled again, feeling as giddy as a schoolgirl.

Yusuke said nothing as he kissed Ryuji, soft slow kisses melting into deep passionate ones that made Ryuji go weak in the knees.

"Bed." Ryuji gasped out as Yusuke finally broke for air. Stumbling, they fell onto the narrow frame in a tangle of limbs, already kissing again.

Not a single word was spoken as hands explored previously forbidden flesh, and removed clothing between heated kisses.

The silence was broken as Ryuji unclasped Yusuke's pants, only to be greeted with a familiar sight. "Are those…?"

"They are the pair you so generously loaned me that day at the gym." Yusuke pushed his pants off and lay back on the bed clad in nothing but Ryuji's boxers.

"Why are you wearing those?" Ryuji swallowed hard, even as his hand cupped Yusuke through the thin fabric.

"The sight of me wearing these turned you on that day. And in truth, feeling my cock touch fabric that your cock has also touched is arousing."

"Dude, those were clean! I washed them since I last wore them!"

"I am aware. Even so, you have worn them." Yusuke's hands tugged down Ryuji's boxers, leaving him clad in nothing but his skin.

"May I?" Yusuke ran a finger down the cleft of Ryuji's ass.

"Yeah, please do." Ryuji's hips twitched as a finger not his own delved in between his tight cheeks. A hand wrapped around his shaft as the finger slipped inside him without resistance.

"You are softer than I expected, do you play with your ass?" Somehow, Yusuke made the question sound innocent.

Ryuji nodded. "Yeah I do. At least, I have been ever since our first date three weeks ago."

"I see." Yusuke's eyes darkened with arousal, and he shifted Ryuji until he could take the blond into his mouth.

Ryuji gasped and moaned; he never expected Yusuke to just go down on him. He had always assumed it would be something he would have to beg for.

The feel of Yusuke's lips and tongue on his tip, the hand around his base, and the second finger being added to his ass undid all his self control. His hips twitched desperately as his senses were assaulted from both the front and the back.

"Yusuke! I can't I'm gonna!" He pulled Yusuke's hair as the artist pulled back just in time. The first streak of cum caught his lips and chin, the final three covered his shoulder. 

"Holy shit Yusk…" He panted, trying to catch his breath, then yelping as a third finger slipped inside.

"Are you okay?" The fingers stilled.

"Yeah just a bit overstimulated. Gimme a second!" Ryuji steadied himself by gripping Yusuke's shoulders, ignoring the cum that squished underneath his palm and fingers. "Okay you can move."

The fingers pumped in and out of him, stimulating nerves that Ryuji never knew existed even though he had found his prostate on his own, and was able to help Yusuke in his quest.

"Are you ready?" Yusuke grazed his fingers over the cluster of nerves a second time.

"Yes, oh god if you don't stop I'm gonna fucking cum." Ryuji was barely aware of swearing until he felt Yusuke twitched underneath him. "You like hearing me say fuck?"

"Yes, I do." Yusuke removed his fingers as Ryuji pulled Yusuke's erection out through the slit in the boxers.

"Keep these on okay?"

Yusuke nodded, lying back as his shaft was sheathed, slicked up, and Ryuji positioned himself.

He sank down slowly, loving the feeling of taking a cock deep within him. Akira had casually mentioned that it felt amazing as Ryuji had asked him about his relationship with Mishima, but only now was Ryuji realizing that amazing was a massive understatement.

He began rocking his hips before he was even halfway down, and Yusuke grasped his hips tight enough to bruise. 

"I'm not…"

"Me neither." Ryuji exploded seconds later, and Yusuke was still creaming as he pulled off. "Baby, I'm sorry."

"Do not be sorry. That was perfect." Yusuke kissed him after tossing the tied condom into the trash.

"Can we try again later?"

"We can become one as often as you desire, Ryuji. I love you."

"Yusuke, I love you too." Ryuji closed his eyes as he pillowed his head onto Yusuke's chest, a soft smile tugging at his lips.

**Author's Note:**

> Ryuji DOES meet Risette/Rise Kujikawa during the events of Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth but since that game takes place in a pocket dimension, all memory of the meeting were lost making it appear as nothing more than a dream. This is what Yusuke and Ryuji were somehow remembering.
> 
> He fanboys over her pretty hard XD


End file.
